katharine's pictures

Harro

2007-11-29T22:10:00.000+09:00

So, blogging is totally overrated. If I had something great to write about, I'd write about it. But seeing as I don't, I'll just leave you with a picture of me napping with a temporary companion, who I picked up in the middle of the road a month ago. He was tiny, sick, covered in fleas and shivering, but now he's really well and craves attention every moment I'm at home. He's adorable, but we can't keep him!

It's over.

2007-07-22T03:59:00.000+09:00

It's really over. A very complicated and rather rushed ending to the series, but an ending. I feel like I've run a marathon tonight; there was just too much information for my sleep-deprived mind the last 2 hours.

Finished this book in: 6 hours

Thanks, Harry, for a great ten years.

Fishies and summer

2007-06-30T20:49:00.000+09:00

Boy is it HOT right now. Public schools here have no A/C, so you can imagine the way I look after 6 periods of teaching every day.
Anyhow, nothing really new to report... My life has become somewhat of a monotony recently. I feel like all I do is work, cook, and sleep. Tomorrow I have a footsal tournament in Ise, so that'll be a nice change of pace. Why do weekends just fly by, when the weekdays refuse to go by any faster than a crawl?
Here is me tonight, after a welcome party for some people from Camas, Washington. Summer is yukata season, but this is probably the only time I'll wear one this year. This green yukata was a present from the vice mayor of the former Seiwa Village (now Taki) my first month in Japan. I have been unsuccessful at learning the art of putting on a kimono, so one of my Japanese friends and I asked a JET friend, Megan, to do it for us. I thought it was so cool that she could do that which so many Japanese people cannot.
Our fish tank is sporting a whole new family of fish, after the first set of goldfish died. Apparently the festival goldfish are really sickly and don't last long. We now have a bunch of tiny tropical fish, and two little freswater shrimp. The shrimps are so funny-- they use their zillion legs to shovel food into their mouths, climb on the plants, and zoom around the tank (yeah, they swim and everything!). I swear they are more interesting than the fish.

New friends

2007-06-10T20:46:00.000+09:00

I've been feeling really down this past week for several reasons, so to cheer myself up, I got some fish. My mother in law and I went to a local festival today and did kingyo-sukui, which literally means, ''fish-scooping''. It is a traditional booth at a Japanese festival where you buy a little paper-covered ring with a handle and scoop goldfish into a bowl before the paper melts. It's quite difficult, but mom in law and I got several, three of which I took home. All three are looking very healthy and happy in their new home, and their presence is really calming for me. Part two of my campaign of self-indulgence is an electric piano being sent my way tomorrow. I hope a dose of music back into my life will make me feel better. It definitely has many times in the past.

Not so recent events

2007-05-30T20:00:00.001+09:00

At long last, the performance whose preparations sucked all my free time for a month and a half...our friend's wedding that took place a month ago.

Just in case you weren't inspired, here's how the pros do it: Wow! We suck!

Japanese TV stinks

2007-05-09T22:33:00.000+09:00

I'm watching a variety show, since there isn't anything else worth watching right now. Today's theme: ''Pirates of the English''. The objective: celebrities dressed up as characters from Pirates of the Caribbean take turns choosing treasure chests with katakana (foreign-origin) words on them. Two of the ten boxes are words that are not English. Each time the ''Will Nakata'' and ''Shingo Sparrow'' teams choose a word, they shout, ''This word would be understood in America!!'', accompanied by Pirates of the Caribbean music and a big ''English or NOT'' flashing over the screen. The America-friendly words are: shredder, blouse, escalator, yoyo, sweater, nickname, internet, and taxi. The Will Nakata team just erroneously chose a Japanese word called ''skinship'', and earned a sliming from an octopus guy that looks like Davey Jones. This is so bad, I don't even have a photo for you. ...I really should put on a DVD instead.

A new year has begun

2007-04-18T20:22:00.000+09:00

Hanami season has come and gone, and I still haven't blogged a word. I started my new job as an elementary school ALT, which is going well. It's a high-energy job that lets me be a kid again. I like to eat school lunch and run around between classes! I feel much more relaxed doing this job, and I couldn't be happier to escape the high school job. These pictures are from hanami 2007, at our usual spot in Seiwa. The Seiwa gang is growing in numbers, from members having kids and getting married. Tomoya and I are incredibly busy planning his best friend's wedding nijikai and practicing our surprise performance for the reception. I can't wait for April to be over, so I can relax again. By the way, yes there was an earthquake here, and no, I didn't die. At the center, the shake was enough to knock stuff off shelves, but not to knock over the shelves themselves. I live about 40 minutes away, so all it did was give me a little surprise when I woke up that morning (noon.)

Don't ask.

Happy birthday! 　祝！！！！

2007-03-15T23:47:00.000+09:00

...to Elise Daisy Ehlers! Read all about the hottest new face on the block here: http://chromaticaberrations.wordpress.com/ Congratulations Heather and Ben!
ヘザー・ベン、ご出産おめでとう。エリースちゃんは可愛いよ。勢和のみなさん、よかったら、ベンのブログをのぞいてみて下さい。\（＾O＾）/

There's no place like home　ホームシック？！

2007-03-12T09:34:00.000+09:00

Some nostalgic scenery 懐かしい風景

I think my job stresses me out more than I originally thought. After work I feel like I've been beaten, and I'm dreading work even though I only have a week left. The kids are nice, but their English level is so low that I can barely do anything with them, not to mention that most of them are either uninterested in it or just have to act dumb to be cool. When I compare my job with that of some of my peers in Matsusaka, I realize that I was deceived into thinking that expensive private school meant good education.
あと一週間だけど、マジで学校行きたくない。いつも仕事に悩んでいる・・・キャサちょっとボロボロになってきたな。早く春休みに入って、いろいろ考え直そう。シアトル帰りたいなぁ～～

My mom sent me some pictures from home. It snowed a bit last week-- very unusual. I wanna go home!母から写真が送られてくました。今年は珍しく雪がよく降ります。実家の家と、家の前の道です。ちょっとクリスマスみたいですね。帰りたーい！！（＞＜）

I do indeed still live.

2007-03-06T08:47:00.000+09:00

I apologize for the giant hiatus. Let's summarize my last 2 months in a nice 30-second list, shall we?

1. I attended taiko group Aki's wedding on 2/17. She got married at the same place in Ise as my brother in law, and a few of my other friends. It's really popular! I wore my first regular kimono.

2. I've been teaching some private lessons at night to supplement our income. It's going to help because...

3. I've decided to quit my job at the end of March. They decided to screw me over and not offer me the full-time position they originally promised. Jerks.

4. That brings me to the present: Now I'm in the process of getting a new job. We'll see if my first choice works out or not late this month. I might have to settle for something else.

5. Lastly, I'm getting excited for Heather and Ben's baby!!! Taiko group Mina's baby was born last week, and she was adorable. It's sure a marriage and baby fest!

Hisashi, me and Aki

The grooms firefighter friends' interesting dance

"Congratulations"

Being busy does not = having a life

2007-01-25T21:20:00.000+09:00

I'm having a bad week. I think I need to quit my job.....or just get a Sandra-Oh-on-Grey's-Anatomy-perm. Maybe I thought the Cristina 'do would give me something of her attitude. Which wouldn't hurt right now.

ブログを大分長い間さぼって、すみません。最近は、新しい生徒が増え（いよいよ家庭教師？！）そして相変わらず学校で頑張っていて、バタバタする日が続く。今週はいいことがほとんどないなぁ。　昨日一時停止をきちんとしなかったら、警察に捕まり、7000円をとられることにも・・・　これから長年する仕事にすっかり慣れて、仕事って好きになれるものであれば、大好き・情熱的になりたい。でもなかなか難しくて、私がすごい努力するのに、徒たちの英語レベルが全然変らない・・・・一生懸命教えても覚えようとしない、そして恥ずかしがるばかり。

「こんなバカな仕事するか!!!」と一人で切れるときもあるが、現実は、日本語が完璧にできない私はこういう仕事しかとれないのです。
日本に永住すると決めたとき、考えるべきだったな。しまったぁ～（T-T）

一つの「いいこと」として、今日CURAでパーマをかけてもらいました。お気に入りのドラマ「Grey's Anatomy」の一番好きなキャラクターっぽい髪型になり、ちょっと嬉しい。注：上の写真ですけど、非常にノーメイクでございます。しつれいしました。

Happy New Year!

2007-01-03T12:32:00.000+09:00

At long last... pictures. I will be organizing them (the wedding album is a huge mess) very soon.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tamakasa

We're back from a romantic week in Bali, and now it's time to get back to work and daily life. Suck!!

It's over!! Part 2

2006-12-20T21:27:00.000+09:00

Hello, world!

Balloon release and

Reception hall...

I think I'm still on Cloud 9. Sunday was just perfect...I could not have asked for better weather, better friends, or better family. Everyone genuinely enjoyed each other and the reception went perfectly. I'll put up the rest of my pictures (that I stole from other people--who takes pictures at their own wedding?!) in an album as soon as I physically can. Our secondary wedding party (called a nijikai) on Saturday, and our trip to Bali on Monday are the only things keeping me from being depressed that it's over.

It's over!!!

2006-12-19T10:59:00.000+09:00

Here is one picture. I am in Osaka with Diana and Yuka so haven't been able to put all my pictures on yet. I'll change it soon!

Wedding bells, erm... envelopes.

2006-12-10T19:30:00.000+09:00

Well now, I haven't been this busy since my second-to-last quarter at UW when I was frantically and sleeplessly taking 26 credits (full load is 18 there) in order to graduate early. Things are all ready to go for Sunday, my family and best friend arrive in 4 days, and we are busy bowing and thanking people for the gift money we're receiving. People in Japan give money instead of wedding gifts. As you can see, they come in these beautiful envelopes! Although the money inside will all be spent in one day, our small mountain of the colorful, shining things somehow makes me really excited. Maybe it's because the kindness of Tomoya's neighbors, relatives, and friends of his parents will keep us out of debt ;) . The only catch is, we have to give half of it back. Huh? Yep, "it's Japanese custom". In quotes because it's a phrase that's the story of my life right now. Custom indicates that we must give a gift equal to about half the value of the money received back to each giver. I'm ecstatic, really.

Uhhh...

2006-11-29T17:21:00.000+09:00

Lots of weird things happening lately. Almost all of them have been either entertaining or really good. I'll mention only a few so as not to bore you-- the first was the sudden snowstorm in Seattle where snow is very rare, and in November of all times. Here is a pic I stole from Diana of the Harbour Pointe sign near my house. Very nostalgic.
A second weird event was today at the supermarket. Potatoes were on sale for various (expensive) prices, and as usual I looked carefully at all the baskets to find the best deal. To my surprise, there was one with a rock-bottom price. A full (Japan-sized) bag for 68 yen. (60 cents)Unbelievably cheap. Disbelieving, I filled a bag and asked the lady at the register whether it was true. She ran to check, and returned with apologies, saying that it was a printing mistake and that the actual price was 68 yen PER tiny potato. Oh, wow. That's... expensive. But then she rushed on to say that because it was their mistake, they'll secretly let me have that bag of potatoes for 68 yen. Yes!! My mashed potatoes have now been confirmed for the potluck party this Saturday.
One last weird thing was yet another stupid piece of mail from the U.S. of A. This time a letter from the U.S. Election office, pushed through my mail slot on November 27th. Apparently I somehow forgot to sign the darn "purple envelope" (I swear I did it...duhhh), so would I mind signing the copy of my ballot on the back to officiate it? Whoops, sure! No problem! And would I mind returning it to their office no later than November 28th? Wait a minute... uhhh, that's tomorrow. I live in Japan, guys. Give me a little more notice, please. Sheesh.

Harroween

2006-11-16T16:57:00.000+09:00

photos stolen from my coworker Neil

Yeah, yeah, I know. I really suck at updating my blog. I have a plethora of excuses, including meetings, wedding planning, honeymoon planning, and just being a lazy piece of crap. I got my new Social Security Card with my New Name today, and nearly ripped it in half opening the envelope. Why are they made of such thin paper, anyway?! Is America so poor from paying for the war that we can't get better social security cards? Anyhow, although Halloween was ages ago, I'm going to post a couple pictures from a JET Halloween partay that went down in nearby Matsusaka. ジェットの外国人たちのハロウィーン・パーティ　あっと　ハンキードリー。来月二次会でお世話になるオーナーの多賀さんのスタッフもみんなコスプレしてて、超ハロウィーン気分！三重高での仕事を紹介してくれた二ールが　・なんたら・レンジャーの格好している人。あとは、三重県で一番仲のいい外国人（一人だけが日本人、どれか分かる？！みんなアジア系の顔してるからね・・・）。では、ＳＥＥ　ＹＯＵ！

Seiwa Girls

2006-11-05T18:48:00.000+09:00

Until Friday, the "Seiwa boys" or the "Seiwa kids" were the official label for our friends in Seiwa. Friday evening there was a gathering that in the early planning phase was a mini birthday party, but as I was tired of the same old party with the boys I tweaked it to be a girls-only night. Then was born the first official gathering of the Seiwa Girls. We are wives (one is a wife-to-be, but same thing) of the Seiwa boys, and we come from all over Mie, Japan, and even abroad (me!). We love our husbands, their friends, and we love each others' support. We have two babies on board currently. One of our members, Akko is missing from this picture because she had to leave early for volleyball practice. We have promised each other that since it was so fun the other night, we'd do it at least once a month. Yay! 集まりましたぁ～！！勢和女子団　（チーム名はまだ未決定ですが・・）　初！勢和っ子の女性オンリーのパーティが、金曜日の夜に行われました。とっても楽しかった！！ので、毎月一回しよという話も・・・　旦那さんたちの絆から始まった奥さん・婚約者メンバーです。一番先輩の奥さん、あこさんがバレー練習のおかげで抜けています。（Ｔ－Ｔ）　こういう集まりで、旦那たちの話や、子供の話や、女の子しか分からない話がいっぱいできることが最高！これから長～～いお付き合いをよろしくでしゅ～～！　

Hezaa san

2006-10-25T22:33:00.000+09:00

Big congratulations to my former partner in crime here in Taki. Last weekend was her big day, in Canada! Best wishes to two of my good friends.
ヘザー　あんど　ベン、ご結婚おめでとうございます！先週末のカナダでの風景です。
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benandheatherehlers/sets/72157594345418070/show/

The entry about Japanese food

2006-10-13T23:59:00.000+09:00

Food in Japan is great. I have to say that fall and winter is my favorite, because it features a magical dish called "nabe". I think it's called "hot pot" in English.
Nabe is magical because you can put anything in it, it's healthy, it's hot, and you can share with lots of people. You cook it in a big earthenware pot like this, and scoop out small bowls at a time. We finally joined every other household in Japan and bought our own little tabletop gas burner. After we ate our usual combo of tofu, Chinese lettuce, meat dumplings, and shiitake mushrooms, we decided to make "zousui", a rice porridge. It doesn't let the vegetable scraps and savory broth go to waste!

I also recently made my first batch of chestnut rice. Tomoya's parents handed me a load of shelled chestnuts and... voila.

Last Tuesday, I hung out with Mariko in Nagoya, where we proceeded to make fun of Japanese signs. We enjoyed names of restaurants such as "Dear, SOUP", and...
Enjoy? YUMMY. Japanese food in a word, is, "enjoy. yummy". I guess that was two words.

Hot dog!

2006-10-12T23:46:00.000+09:00

So, I opened my second annual hot-dog stand at the big festival in town. I got real relish, sauerkraut, and yellow mustard to go on them. The sign says, "Katharine's American Hot Dogs, 200 yen". My girl friends from Seiwa and I had a blast making and selling them, and we blew our $250 profit frighteningly fast-- within a few hours at a nearby pub and then karaoke. Money well spent.
第２回のきゃさりんのアメリカンホットドッグ店。去年は勢和の男子チームがスタッフしてくれたが、今年はガールズ！アンド　ともや！で頑張りました。結構儲かって、祭りが終了したら、当然打ち上げへ。（＾－＾）/ みんな、ありがとう。お疲れさんでした。来年は「絆ショップ」でリニューアル・オープンだぜ！

I'm starting to like this...

2006-10-06T16:21:00.000+09:00

Into the minds of students forced to study English

I'm beginning to enjoy my job. This week the students really started opening up to me, and almost all my lessons went exceptionally well. I'm beginning to remember names and get my 18 classes' (40+ each) worth of kids' faces vaguely memorized. Last week, the teachers had some of the second-year kids write a short letter to me as part of their final exams in oral English class. It was a great way to learn names and see them as individuals rather than one face in the mass of uniformed kids they are in class. These particular second-year students are my poorest at English, but they have great personalities and draw great pictures. Some excerpts for you all to enjoy:

"Hi, Katharin. Where lived Mr. Katharin in American? See you letter. "

"My name is Yuka. Please call me Yuka (heart marks). "
"Please tell me your life. Are you a shinsho? Yes, I do. How about you?"
"Do you like sushi? I like sushi. Do you like rice? I like rice.... (and so on)"
"Hi Katharine. See you later. ~Kenta"
"I have a Nagoya. I like baseball. Do you have a Nagoya? See you later." (Nagoya is a city...)
"I know Katharine has sisters. Katharine and sisters very beautiful. Do you know "Seiwa" village? I like in Seiwa. Because Seiwa is very beautiful." (I'll be living there next year...)
"Hi, Katharine. I don't write English........... I love you (heart marks). See you later."

The family is growing...

2006-09-25T08:52:00.000+09:00

Tomoya's older brother had his baby. Her name is rumored to be "Miyu", but in Japan, you don't have to name it for two weeks, till you report the birth. It would be very strange in the U.S. to have a baby with no name, but I guess you can be sure to get the name you want. No matter what her name turns out to be, she'll always be darling. 今とこ名前はまだ決まっていないが、可愛いベビーちゃんが田牧家にやってきました。土曜日、その義兄のベビーと会いにいきました。ついでに、奥さんの実家で食事をよばれてきました。田牧家とそれぞれのお嫁さんたちの家族ととても仲がいいので、よくこういうふうに集まります。キャサは急に家族が倍になった感じです！！

Invitations 招待状

2006-09-24T10:14:00.000+09:00

I finally got the wedding invitations in the mail. You send them with a special self-addressed and stamped postcard where they circle attend/not able to attend, and write a message! Since neither of us are skilled at writing in fancy Japanese script, we had Tomoya's next door neighbor write them for us. Thank you Mami!!!
やっと招待状をだしました。ともやくん家の隣のお友達まみーに書いてもらいました。ありがとおぅぅぅ！！！
It's also that time to be deciding which dresses to wear. Just fyi, this is not one of them ;)

ドレス試着も終了。このドレスは好きだったけど、結局違うのに決めました。

My new job

2006-09-20T14:04:00.000+09:00

日本語：http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/

School festival day 　　学園祭

I teach English at a private high school now. I think it's hilarious in kind of a sad way because when I was in high school I totally hated sitting in class and had such a bad attitude, especially in Japanese class. Who knew that 7 years later I'd be teaching foreign language to lazy high schoolers like myself. In reality, most of my kids are extremely good students, but the lazy ones seem to stick out way more. Mie Ko has one of the best programs for high-level students in the prefecture, so there are many exceptional students here. However, they also have a program for a bunch of slackers whose parents pay for them to attend. Teaching them is my only challenge. The discipline and organization is strictly enforced so no matter what program, the kids are very respectful. They bow and greet teachers whenever they pass one in the hallway. It felt rather peculiar at first, but I'm used to it now.

Me and Fujiwara Sensei go a little crazy in the staffroom

Goodbye Okacchi

2006-09-12T16:51:00.000+09:00

At our favorite izayaka hangout, Hyotan.

We said "goodbye for now" to our dear friend Masafumi, who will leave his wife (my good friend Maya) and their baby to go to Tokyo for 9 months. It was an inevitable sacrifice for his job, so the rest of us will help Maya out the best as we can.
Tomoya thought it would be hilarious to play with a diaper that Maya left behind when she went home to put the baby to bed. So oh-so-creatively, he put it right on his head. Ueji has the right idea: Tomoya, that is like, so dumb I want to strangle you.

Wedding number one

2006-09-09T16:32:00.000+09:00

Numero uno of several weddings coming up in the next year. Seiji's wedding went smoothly and I think everyone had a good time. It was hot and humid outside but it was nothing compared to the party heating up inside. Friends here go all out for their friends' weddings, as you can probably tell from my pictures. Seiji's basketball teammates performed half-naked (more than half-naked! by the way, those are diapers...), and one of his other friends penned a special song for the occasion. His bride Masumi's friends made a cute video, performed a ballad, and danced in silly costumes. I met some of my new relatives, all of whom where just wonderfully nice people.

Floating above each table in the reception hall was a large balloon filled with small heart-shaped balloons; one of which contained a feather like the one below. During the reception, Seiji and Masumi burst them with a needle on a long stick, releasing the hearts. Each person was instructed to grab one, and the one with the feather (me, at my table!) got to participate in a drawing for a prize.

Japanese reggae

2006-08-29T12:45:00.000+09:00

So, I didn't know the Japanese had such a big reggae following. The artists at the sweltering concert in Osaka were all well-known (by everyone except me) and inspired 25,000+ scantily-clad people to dance and groove for over 8 hours. I must say, althought it was sure interesting,I probably won't again brave the heat the main artist MJR aptly described as "murderous". Reggae is cool and I'm all for all nations loving all kinds of music, but it was a little weird to hear Japanese artists yell "Ya man!" between every song. But there sure were a couple awesome soul singers. However, no singers can compare (at least in spirit) to the Seiwa kids. Karaoke bus!!!

いよいよ、ハイエスト・マウンテン（大阪）　へ。バスでカラオケ、飲み放題は私にとってなかなか珍しい経験でした。ライブも結構珍しかった・・・日本人のアーティストが「ＹＡ、ＭＡＮ！」と叫んでいたところはちょっと不思議に思いました。（＾＾）ＭＩＧＨＴＹ　ＪＡＭ　ＲＯＣＫ　がライブ中に「殺人的な」と言ってたあの日の暑さは本当にたえられなかった。（＞＜）でも、勢和人大勢で大阪は楽しかったな　＾o＾

Family shenanigans

2006-08-28T23:33:00.000+09:00

Seiji and Masumi

A week ago, Tomoya's mom asked us to come to his brother's wedding photo shoot. Although it was a lot of waiting, it was great to see their costumes and scenery. A million poses and 7 hours later, the couple was finished with their last big thing before their ceremony next weekend. How fast time flies... it'll be our turn before we know it. 　　　　弟のまえどり写真ＡＴオランジェ。時間が経つのが本当早くなったので、もう二人の結婚式まで間もなく。とっても楽しみになってきました！＾＾私たちのときもこんなに素敵でありますように～～

Family BBQ

2006-08-22T08:40:00.000+09:00

日本語：　http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/2006/08/blog-post_21.html

Grilling up salmon on a cedar plank

A couple great dads
Dessert was delicious

Dad's band plays an impromptu set on our deck

A bunch of our family friends were able to get together for a BBQ at our place on the 12th. Lots of food, old friendships and some new. It was partly a going-away/wedding shower type thing, so everyone was kind enough to bring gifts! It really sinks in when you start receiving kitchen utensils and acupressure for couples books ;) . Thank you to all our friends!

Free sodas and the RAM!

2006-08-15T00:03:00.000+09:00

No fair, Dan gets free soft drinks at Microsoft! マイクロソフﾄの職員は仕事中無料でソフトドインク飲み放題！ビップやなぁ。We went to the RAM, just like the good ol' days at UW. 一番よく行ってた店で懐かしく食事した後、大学の友達とのお別れ。

Minor League Baseball　　マニアック野球～

2006-08-10T23:00:00.000+09:00

Went to an Everett Aquasox game with my family and some fam friends. After so many Mariners games, it was fun to be in a tiny at-home stadium. I love Ivar's clam chowder!
実家の近くのスタジアムでやっているマイナーリーグ　チーム、アクアソックス。勢和台より小さいところでホットドッグ、クラムチャウダーを食べながら観戦。　＾＾

L to R: Joe, his daughter and our dear former neighbor Jane, and my dad. 　右がキャサパパ！

River rafting!!

2006-08-07T15:09:00.000+09:00

...in Eastern Washington with the gang.

Why I love the Pacific Northwest

2006-08-05T07:16:00.000+09:00

Had a great time at Rattlesnake with Yuka. We had a (challenging for me) hike that ended with a spectacular view and fun picnic lunch!

Bachelorette Party!

2006-07-31T13:39:00.000+09:00

My friends are the best. What a way to leave single life! A great night out at the Wasabi Bistro and bars in Belltown, followed by a spa day to die for. Bliss.

Off the radar

2006-07-30T02:07:00.000+09:00

日本語：　http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/
Camas Days with culinary students and adults from Taki

Group shot / Ichiro! Twice!

My baby Hercules... and Starbucks in Pike Place (the original SB)

Me, Yuka, and my replacement Brian at a Mariners game / Hangin with Yuks and the gang

日本語：http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/　　これで、前壊れていたリンクも見れる　（すんませんでした　（－＿－）；

Hello. I apologize for the lack of posts. Last Monday I finished my last week on the job here in Washington. I am officially unemployed, and in Mukilteo for a couple more weeks.

Can't beat the heat..

2006-07-15T22:45:00.000+09:00

It is so incredibly hot and humid lately. I can't wait to get out of here in a few days. I will really miss Tomo, but Washington is coaxing me into its cool, dry bosom. Today a few of us braved the heat wave and went to check out this year's Gion Matsuri. BIG cups of juice were in order to battle the stiflingly hot air.

How YOU doin?

This is a doll that a gal in Mie-ken custom-made from a picture of T in his soccer uniform. When I got into the car today, I noticed that little T now has his own seat in the back.

Waiting

2006-07-08T21:52:00.000+09:00

Tomoya is here. I am at home feeling a little lonely, but catching up on some much-needed cleaning and rest. I looked up the island to check on the typhoon blowing through, and realized that it was farther out from the mainland than I had thought. Not as far as Okinawa, but the farthest southern part of the mainland. The strange feeling that he is really far off in the ocean, and the hope that he will return on time tomorrow currently fill my mind.

Paper, pen, and signature stamp...

2006-07-08T10:36:00.000+09:00

...is all you need to get married in Japan. The wedding ceremony here is for show, although they look rather authentic in a chapel with a (fake) priest. I have just turned in my visa application, and am praying that it will go through quickly before I leave for the U.S. on business. To me, this feels like a normally non-existent step between engagement and marriage, so it's pretty strange.

入籍いたしました。これからもよろしくお願いします。

Tomoya and Katharine Tamaki--half-married on July 1st, 2006

T--It's a long road ahead, but I'm sure glad to have you on board with me.

A 6-pound egg

2006-06-26T11:15:00.000+09:00

Akko's daddy feeding his beloved big birds

Saturday morning, I went to Akko's jikka in Odai-cho, where her parents and older brother live. Completely randomly, they own several ostriches! We obtained an egg that had been laid the day before, and proceeded to make a giant fried egg at the BBQ that afternoon. Needless to say, it fed about 10 people.

'Sahara Metallic'

2006-06-20T13:18:00.000+09:00

New friends from Palau in Micronesia
When I returned from working last weekend's 24-hour exchange program with Palauan kids, I noticed that Tomo's new Honda Vamos had finally come. Its 'sahara' color is darker than we expected, but with its turbo engine it's a good kei. I'm jealous...I want a new car. Boo!

drool........

2006-06-14T16:28:00.000+09:00

Finally. I almost have my hands on my lovely and long-in-coming baby blue DS lite. It is going to be delivered by the end of the week! To my doorstep comes a new way to waste time, and exercise my brain according to the latest Japanese craze. I'll pick up the English version of the brain exercise game when I'm at home this summer. Elation!!

今回は日本語　オンリー

2006-06-10T16:06:00.000+09:00

Several of my cool gal pals here threw me a mini bachelorette party

One of the highlights of this event was receiving a miniature Japanese passport containing condoms.

Sorry guys, this post for my Japanese friends only-- 日本語はこちら：
http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/2006/06/blog-post.html

Bath time (again)!

2006-05-26T10:08:00.000+09:00

"Get me outta here! Hellooo. Anyone?? HEELP!"
Aww, isn't he adorable. Hari was recently featured in an entry on cuteoverload.com. It is a database exploding with pictures of cute animals. I think he is pretty darned cute, so I sent his picture in several months ago. Here is the link:

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2006/05/hedgespa.html

Seiwakko strike again

2006-05-25T16:38:00.000+09:00

Akko demonstrated yosakoi dancing
On my sister's last night, I took her to the home of two of my dear Seiwakko. Saturday's members were only a small fraction of the group, but a great sample nonetheless. We were invited by our good friends Akko and Masaki and everyone proceeded to give Diana a (costumed) welcome in broken English. I am so lucky to have such wonderful people all around me. I love these guys.

The fam in J-land

2006-05-22T14:36:00.000+09:00

Little sister Diana and Mom came to visit me for 5 days. We took them around the area, visiting places like Iga city's ninja castle and pig farm, izakayas and yakiniku in Matsusaka, Ise shrine, and Seiwa. I think they have a much better idea of what I'm getting into over here, now. I was really glad that the Seiwa-kko gang was able to give Diana a big welcome! They will be seeing each other again on December 17th, because we changed the date from May to December. I will therefore take this opportunity to say please ignore our first announcement of May 13th. We didn't have our thinking caps on straight. Here are some highlights of last week's adventures (more to come):

Took them to do pachinko At Moku Moku farm
Poke, poke... (annoyed grunting)We did some glass blowing at the local recycle center!

The love of my life

2006-05-16T23:45:00.000+09:00

Sorry, not my fiance right now. ;) It's my beautiful Toshiba washing machine/dryer. I love the minimalist look and the easy controls. And the fact that at a touch of a button, my clothes go from dirty to clean and dry. Too bad it doesn't fold them for me. Toshiba, you're slacking!!

We live!!

2006-05-08T11:50:00.000+09:00

Tomo's most typical position--in front of the TV

You're probably thinking, 'Wowsers! That is a big TV.' Okay, I guess it doesn't look that big in the picture. But it's big for us! The apartment itself is just your average 2-bedroom, plus kitchen and bathroom, but the appliances make it different--it is a super high tech living space! The oven, refrigerator and washing machine/dryer (in one--the convenience!) practically have their own brains. Undoubtedly the best part is that for the first time in over 2 years, I get to use a dryer! I do hang the laundry when I have time, but I am so happy that I no longer have to walk around the outside of my house in the freezing cold winter to hang clothes. Not a whole lot else to report-- T and I are getting along well and are slowly settling into this cohabitation business. We have a good system going on--I make the mess, and he cleans it up. He totaled his car a few weeks ago, so our current project is figuring out how to pay for the new one we just ordered. The cooking is going, albeit shakily, but I will apply myself more. I will become a good cook!

Habitat Four

2006-05-02T14:36:00.000+09:00

The village in Barangay Bahile
Food! Yes, that is a pig's head. Meeting these kids were undoubtedly the best part of my trip

Wasn't a huge fan of the food while in Palawan, but the fruit was amazing. I think I'll end the Habitat updates here. I'll put up a link soon to an online photo album where I'll stash the photos. Next episodes: The New Apartment and How The Heck Are Katharine And Tomoya?!

We do indeed still live...

Habitat Three

2006-04-27T16:06:00.000+09:00

All the bricks were brought one by one, or few by few in a wheelbarrow.

Work, drink water, work, eat, work, drink water, work... It actually wasn't that bad at all. The heat was our only enemy; we moved and stacked lots of bricks and mixed a whole lot of cement, but could have done it better and faster had it not been nearly 95 degrees. The construction methods were primitive, but what works works. I'm no engineer, but the bricks were very cleverly designed. They came in several shapes that interlocked to make corners or a straight walls.

Habitat Two

2006-04-18T10:47:00.000+09:00

The catwalks were mere strips of wood laid on the frames--quite precarious.
Mixing cement is backbreaking work. There is not a single machine on site, so everything is done by hand. This method creates jobs for the men of the community.
Blocks for the houses are all handmade. Dryish cement is packed into the above mold, then the mold is removed and the delicate brick is laid out to dry for two weeks.

Habitat One

2006-04-13T09:01:00.000+09:00

The kids made the trip well worth it

We built this one from the ground to halfwayAnd this one from halfway to complete

I officially had no idea what to expect on this trip, but it turned out to be a good balance between work, play, and cultural exchange for me. I learned how Habitat works--Homepartners (people who successfully apply to receive a house built by volunteer workers and Habitat laborers) pay for the house over a number of years. Global Village volunteers come in from time to time to help build, but the core of the building is done by skilled laborers hired by Habitat. The donations from people all over the world-- both volunteer and non-volunteer-- fund the materials and labor, and the money paid back goes back to the organization to be used in another project. Homepartners are also required to provide about 400 hours of ''sweat equity'', and work onsite. It was heartening to work beside men helping to build homes for their community as well as their own families. Much more to come!

Home sweet home

2006-04-10T16:10:00.000+09:00

I was here but I wanted to be there (Japan)

I'm finally back from the Philippines and moved into my new apartment. I dreamed about this the entire time I was away. Although I willed the trip to go by as fast as possible, I don't regret going. It was an eye-opening experience. Tomoya and I are getting along very well, and the place is just beautiful. New appliances and shiny white bathrooms never looked better. I am extremely busy getting stuff together for my new life, so I may be slow in documenting my trip. But please stay tuned for pictures of Habitat for Humanity Philippines, 2006.

Good times with the fam

2006-03-21T21:42:00.000+09:00

I spent the day eating, drinking and festival-ing with the Tamaki family. Today the extended family was invited to check out a local tradition that always happens on the first day of spring. It celebrates the "cho-ro"-- 'long dragon' --, and features a tengu (in the red mask) battling it. I wish I knew the exact meaning of the ritual, but it always looks pretty cool:

School's out for... spring?!

2006-03-16T15:30:00.000+09:00

A goodbye present from the 3rd graders today

The kids here get gipped. They only get 10 days between the end of a school year and the beginning of the next one. Summer vacation is also only about 1 month, compared to the mammoth American 3 months. While I grew up with fall leaves on the first day of school, the kids here are showered with beautiful tiny pink cherry blossoms. Those blossoms will bloom next week and the week after... truly the most beautiful time in Japan. Although the next school year is just around the corner, it feels really good to be done with school visits for this year. I'll hold my third grade class at Sana elementary close in my heart, despite the fact that most of them were hopeless at English.

A new life about to start

2006-03-09T19:23:00.000+09:00

Hina-matsuri dolls on display in Futami, Ise

It's almost spring! The temperature has risen and the days are long, but I can't wait for the cherry blossoms. They are going to be early this year, so I will probably miss the most stunning of them while I'm in the Philippines. That's right, I'm about to head to Palawan Island with 20 people from Mie to built homes for Habitat for Humanity... While a much-needed two-week vacation in island paradise really should be making me drool, I am more excited about moving into my new place next month. I've bought brand-new appliances already, I can't wait. Wedding plans are also going smoothly: we will be having our shindig in Tsu city at a brand-new place next to the airport ferry terminal. Things are looking bright, so my mood is as good as the weather right now.

Katharine's tying the knot?!

2006-02-22T18:49:00.000+09:00

Yes, the rumors are true. Stay tuned for more news on this exciting new couple, coming to a rural Japanese village near you.

Katharine and Tomoya

December 17th, 2006*

*edited

2006-02-14T19:39:00.000+09:00

Dan and Yuka

I'm back! I had a wonderfully refreshing time at home, but it also feels so good to be tucked back into my rural Japan life. It's a busy week, but I can't say why quite yet. =) Will write more soon! In the meantime, please sit back and enjoy these pictures of my main peeps back in Washington.
Mom, Dad, Diana

Go Seahawks

2006-02-07T16:04:00.000+09:00

I was home in time for the SuperBowl. Spending time with my family and best friend is really refreshing, and I am confident I will feel much better returning to Japan this Friday. Will update soon.

2006-01-31T22:26:00.000+09:00

A Friday afternoon

Despite it being winter in Japan, here in Mie prefecture it gets pretty warm during the day. The rare days I get to relax in my house during these precious hours are just heaven. I let the sunlight pour in through my sliding doors, slide under my kotatsu (heated table with a blanket: one of the Japan's best inventions) and read or look into the yard. I like how winter here is still sunny most days, because it helps keep me in a better mood. Heck knows I really need it right now.

今度の金曜日から、一週間ほどアメリカの実家に帰ることにしました。日本での生活は好きだけど、ずっと住み続けたいかどうかはまだ決めていません。多分実家帰るだけで何も分からないと思うけど、この一週間リラックスできたらこのことについて考える元気が出るかなと思っていて・・・とにかく行ってきます。

A new year, a new party

2006-01-24T15:33:00.000+09:00

Everyone gets really drunk!

The first month of the year is filled with parties called shin-nen-kai . Although the groups of close-knit friends, coworkers, or sports teams have only had a year-end party the month before, this party is ｔo celebrate another year together, and wish each other the best. Here is a picture of me with some of the Seiwa-ko (Seiwa Kids), a group of Tomoya's closest friends in the village. They all happen to be his doukyuusei (of the same grade since childhood), which is a really interesting part of Japanese culture. Apparently happening to be of same age and going to grade school together automatically makes them very, very important lifetime friends. It kind of reminds me of the bond that a generation of fraternities or sororities might have. I stole this pic from one of the girls' blog, so I hope she doesn't mind. Thank you, Akko! 写真を勝手に使わしてもらったよん～（＾＿＾）

There and back again

2006-01-16T22:38:00.000+09:00

Kazu and Tomoya

FC Mie got bumped up into the ALT Top 8 Tournament when a team dropped out last month. They played extremely well, and all the games were so close it was exciting from start to finish. I think it was worth the 7-hour drive... Getting a tour of the stadium and watching the final from the stands was pretty cool, too. After watching the boys, I've been sufficiently motivated to practice soccer this year.

Me (with the red hood) and the crew on the big screen

New Year 2

2006-01-13T11:15:00.000+09:00

This is called mochitsuki
This picture is late because I had to wait for someone to send it to me. I am pounding special rice to make mochi , Japanese rice cakes. These days not many families do it the traditional way anymore, but I was lucky enough to be invited by a friend that does it every year with her extended family. It was super hard work: pounding it just 30 times is a workout, so 8 of us took turns. One of the aunties was in charge of turning the mochi as it was being pounded, not an easy task. You have to apply hot water to and turn the mochi so it gets softened evenly--while someone is wielding a huge hammer above your head! Although it wasn't my first time to see it, it was my first time to really participate. I was pretty sore the next day!

Happy New Year

2006-01-05T22:26:00.000+09:00

At Nyu shrine at midnight

My first New Years in Mie. A lot of TV was watched (almost all music performances or comedy sketches) before I braved the cold to offer a traditional prayer at the nearest shrine with Tomoya and some friends. Besides praying at these shrines, a lot of sake is consumed and bells are rung for luck. It's only been 6 days, but it's been the best year of my life so far.

Golden poop

2005-12-29T20:01:00.000+09:00

Japan has the weirdest little characters sometimes. A little white cat with a bow is normal....a golden pile of shit is not. But it is incredibly cute if you put a happy little face on it!!

Cold weather measures

2005-12-26T18:38:00.000+09:00

Hedgehog Hari gets a blowdry after his bath so he doesn't catch cold. He is such a doll.

今の時期は寒いから、風邪ひかんように風呂あがりのハリネズミのハリー君にドライヤーをかけています。とてもおりこうさんです。

Winter's here

2005-12-22T08:49:00.000+09:00

It's snowing for the first time this year, but I think it's going to stop in a couple hours. I apologize for the lack of updates-- my camera has gone MIA and I have no way of transferring my cell phone pictures as of yet. (By the way, 4 megapixel-sporting cell phones are out here as of a couple months ago...) This photo is of Tomoya and I on the last day at the Awaji tournament. Good news came last week--the Osaka team that beat Mie dropped out of the tournament, so Mie was invited to play in the Saitama championship! If all goes well, the three of us will be heading up to Saitama Stadium (the 2002 World Cup stadium!) next month. Wicked!

Back from the big city

2005-12-06T22:55:00.000+09:00

CIR Mid-Year Conference in Chiba. This year, we gave a workshop!

ＣＩＲ中間研修会 in 幕張!! 発表成功しました！

Soccer sensyuu

2005-11-24T12:54:00.000+09:00

Kazu goes for the ball

Tomoya, Kazu, and I hit up the All-Japan ALT Soccer Tournament this last weekend on Awaji Island, Hyogo prefecture. I played in the girls' tourney on the first day, and watched the boys the second day. It was a really great weekend, despite the loss of a chance at the championship in Saitama. We came home in great spirits, taking a dip at a bathhouse and eating sushi on the way home. Cheers to my friend Naomi for the photo.

2005-11-11T23:31:00.000+09:00

I can relax in Starbucks even this far away from Seattle

Today was lovely. I planned the morning off work, and went for a horseback riding lesson with a friend. It was my first time in a year and a half, so I am feeling quite sore and tender right now. Then in the afternoon I headed up to Nagoya for some shopping with my friend JC, who showed me all the best stores and restaurants. While in the city, I picked up a North Face jacket, some of my favorite Adidas socks (those who know me well know these socks!), and a couple of sweaters. Lastly we hit up a great French restaurant that JC frequents, and I had me my first plate of pate with wine! How cultured of me.

Holy cow!

2005-11-11T08:16:00.000+09:00

I missed this contest last year because I went to Kyoto with my parents, but this year I managed to catch the elusive Matsusaka cows of Taki-cho. For those of you who don't know, Matsusaka beef is a delicacy known Japan-wide and said by many to be better than Kobe beef. I've never tried Kobe beef, but after having some some of the Matsusaka variety, USDA Grade A will never taste good again. Today's contest was a local version of the main one in (surprise, surprise) Matsusaka city next door, but the best cows got auctioned off for upwards of $20,000 US. The best ones in Matsusaka are in the hundreds of thousands, just to give you an idea. The fancy restaurants in the area come and bid on these animals. So you can imagine why one tiny steak costs about 100 dollars. Matsusaka cows are kept in tiny stalls to keep their meat tender and fatty, and the ones they take to contest are massaged, fed beer, and otherwise spoiled rotten. The contest is held in the parking lot of the place I work--it's quite interesting to randomly see these guys first thing in the morning. Just a tidbit of the local culture for ya!

Channel 11

2005-11-08T23:23:00.000+09:00

During my nightly before-bed channel-flipping tonight I heard Ichiro speak for the first time. He was being interviewed about his crappy season with the Mariners, and after a minute I realized that I had never heard him speak before! Obviously he says 'thank you' and other simple things on American TV and appears in Japanese commercials, but it was really weird to see him having an in-depth conversation in casual clothing.　

日本語はこちら：http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/2005/11/11.html

Maya's new house!

2005-11-08T23:21:00.000+09:00

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-27T19:36:00.000+09:00

Little Chinatsu-chan goes at it during the donut-eating race.

The 22nd and 23rd was the town bunkasai -- cultural festival. It was packed with all sorts of international events, concerts, craft classes and tea ceremony workshops. We also spent two weeks converting the gym into an art gallery displaying artwork done by townspeople. A good number of them are extremely talented; there we many professional-looking oil paintings, traditional pottery, brush paintings, ikebana, and poems. One of my major tasks this month was to put on a Halloween party for the kids in Taki as part of the festival. We played some traditional Halloween games, such as donut-eating races and Pin the Tail on the Black Cat. It was loads of fun and the kids loved it, and I was very happy it was a success. I had to specially order costumes, donuts, and American candy, so it better had been worth it!

Bento and a birthday

2005-10-20T21:59:00.000+09:00

Work is really busy this month, just like last October. But this year I have some great new coworkers who, with their cheeriness and hard working attitudes, make me a happier and more hardworking person. Today one of them, Naomi-san, made me a special bento lunch box. She and her kids Yamato and Chinatsu added some special touches, like the mini boiled egg in the center. It looks like a baby chick peeking out of a white eggshell! And the slice of apple is supposed to be a rabbit, with long ears. Today was Yamato's seventh birthday, and Naomi specially invited me over for dinner and made my favorite Japanese foods. I am so glad she came to the Board of Education, because now I have a big brother (my supervisor Naoki) and a big sister to watch over me. Here is Yamato in his awesome new rollerblade set I got for him:

Fellow gai-koku-jin say goodbye...

2005-10-16T09:28:00.000+09:00

Heri says goodbye to one of his roommates

Last night was a soubetsukai --farewell ceremony and party--for three of my Indonesian friends that live nearby. The 13 that live in Taki work in three of the factories in the area, and they all stay in the same house for 3 years. This week Heri, Fauji, and Thasil will complete their third year and return home to faraway Indonesia. There were quite a few tears during the ceremony part, and it was really touching to see how much these boys mean to their roommates, friends, and coworkers. Their infectious laughter and cheerfulness is irresistible; though most of them don't speak Japanese very well, they are so friendly and outgoing that it doesn't matter. Their warmth and happiness just uplifts me. I am so glad I met these guys--we are fellow gaijin (foreigners) in this small non-diverse town, and I know that their friendship will continue to be a blessing in my life. Thasil, Fauji, and Heri especially, thank you for your companionship. We will meet again!

Library display time again...

2005-10-15T17:37:00.000+09:00

Every two months I change the international display in the town library. The theme is, "Let's Travel the World with Katharine!" It's sort of like a simple travel guide with pictures and commentary, although sometimes it's about places I've never been! So far we've traveled to Seattle, Athens, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, England, and New Delhi.

What?

2005-10-10T14:08:00.000+09:00

Do Japan's booksellers not adhere to international release dates or something? My book arrived a full FOUR DAYS before the worldwide release. Not that I minded (obviously), but I was sure surprised! Speed-read through the last half of the book out of impatience, but I will certainly read it through thoroughly again this week. I doubt any fellow Wheel of Time readers read my blog, but I'll add commentary anyway--After the first half of the book being as dull as #10 (Rand didn't even make an appearance till Chapter 18!), everything kind of fell together in the end. Book 12 will definitely kick off with the long-awaited Tarmon Gai'don! Now to wait for another 2-3 years for that to come out... grumble.

Time really flies.

2005-10-04T00:00:00.000+09:00

日本語はこちら：http://katharineshashinj.blogspot.com/2005/10/blog-post.html

You have made my last year and a half here in Japan one long and unforgettable moment from the instant I met you. I still remember exactly what your voice sounded like and the way you motioned with your arms when you informed me in badly pronounced English, "I'm ToMOya." Had I not gone to that barbecue party in August last year, I would not have had such a rich, fun, and eye-opening experience here. I met you that day along with about 15 of your wonderful friends, but there was a special energy between us that I didn't feel with anyone else. I did not come to Japan with the intention of dating anyone or even staying more than a year; I had promised my best friend and family that I'd return as soon as possible. But that muggy summer afternoon I was slapped in the face with something inexplicable that changed my entire universe, and I think I'm still recovering from the blow. I have never believed in love at first sight (too cheesy!), but this had to be something pretty close to it. This last year has been a rollercoaster of soaring highs and confused lows, but in the past few months I think we've finally achieved the kind of security that only comes after you really work to understand each other. There were times we sweated bullets, but I am grateful for every moment, thought, and feeling I experienced because of you. We still have a long way to go together, but I am so happy that we've passed this marker, however small.

Thank you, and korekara mo yoroshiku ne.

Then....

and now. A year has changed much more than just our looks.

Happy one-year.

Teaching eigo...

2005-10-03T13:45:00.000+09:00

I just received this photo from the third-grade teacher at Sana elementary. It was taken the last day of first semester, but somehow my work email was weird and I didn't see it till today. These kids are undoubtedly the best class I have, and I am so lucky that I get to see them twice a week. Teaching is hard work, though! I wish I were better at it... I want so much to make English fun and exciting for them.

Maya's baby!!

2005-09-27T07:52:00.000+09:00

Introducing Arata Okayama, born July 2nd, 2005:

All in all a great three-day weekend. Spent most of it with Tomoya, but on Friday night I snuck out to Maya's house to see Arata and meet her friend Naomi. He is so sweet; he fell asleep in our arms as we took turns holding him. He's so big that we couldn't hold him for more than 15 minutes at a time! These days everyone seems to be getting married and having babies. It's making it pretty hard to wait for my own family life to start!

Shoji suck!

2005-09-16T16:04:00.000+09:00

I just replaced the paper on two of my six rice paper doors (shoji). Big sections were completely ripped out thanks to Tomoya and other friends bumping into them at one time or another (okay, maybe I might have once or twice as well). Seeing as my table and sitting area are right against these doors, a few chopsticks flying and flailing hands/feet busting holes through it were just inevitable. If you've never replaced one of these things before... well, all I can really say is "it sucks majorly hardcore." You have to cut the special paper to size, apply glue to the frame in just the right order, and make sure the paper sticks straight. A royal pain in the butt, really. I don't see why people bother with these anymore.

Sasuga internet... and Blue Steel!!

2005-09-14T11:07:00.000+09:00

"I graduated from the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Want to Do Other Things Good Too, where they teach you that there's more to life than being really, really good looking!" ~as quoted from Bev and Mark's blog This "really, really, ridiculously good looking" face is my high school bud's baby boy Evan. After discovering what's been going on in Beverly's life since I last saw her, I realized that I'll never cease to be amazed at how important the internet is. I would not be able to communicate with my friends and family as often as I do, nor would I be able to find (or be found by, in this case) long lost friends. The internet allowed our paths to come across one another, despite the two drastically different roads we embarked on. I think it's cool that although I live across the sea, Bev and I can see each other's lives through pictures and text. I really don't think I could live here if I were cut off from people and places at home. It makes me feel safe because I know that I'll never lose touch with anyone so long as we have email and blogs. The internet is truly a blessing in these times.

MS-DOS

2005-09-10T06:40:00.000+09:00

Was your dad as cool as mine? I remember when personal computers were a brand new concept, and nobody in my neighborhood had one except my dad. I wondered what he was doing with the big black screen and the funny board with buttons. But the real wonder came when he pushed a huge floppy disk into the box, tapped in a magic code, and voila! The black screen became this:

The Playroom. My playroom. My sister was too little to mess with it (heck, I was almost too little), so I had full reign over this world. I loved the animals that lived in there and spent endless hours discovering what everything did. I still remember how exciting it was to click on the dinosaur and wake it up, or open the drawer to find a red balloon. I apologize that this isn't an actual photo, but I suppose nostalgic screenshots while on my Japan adventure are fair game to post up here.

Photographs

2005-09-09T06:33:00.000+09:00

A picture says a thousand words...yadda yadda. But it's true, isn't it? Summer is almost over, and all I have are these pictures. But when I look at them, I see and feel those experiences and people a hundred times better than I can using my mind's eye. Just a few of my summer experiences:

Ensoku--outings with the elementary kids.

World Expo in Nagoya.

Won 2nd place at an AJET photo contest. (By default really, how can you resist the hedgehog?)

Went HOME for the first time in a year. Saw my loved ones, stuffed myself with my favorite foods, and visited my favorite places. But best of all, I shared them all with one of my favorite people.

Taiko, endless taiko. This is the famous Gion Matsuri in Matsusaka.

Summer means fireworks and festivals.

Sadly had to attend my grandfather's funeral in Kyushu. Buddhist funerals are very different.

For those on JET, summer is a time for goodbyes and hellos. Out with the old and in with the new. Our contracts run on the same one-year schedule, so the old people leave at the same time the new people come in. Life is different this year, but it's going to be good; I can feel it.

The Japanese like to make signs for everything.

2005-09-05T22:42:00.000+09:00

Handmade signs and labels are everywhere here, cautioning against burning yourself or telling you not to do this or how exactly to do that. It's almost as if once one dumber-than-average individual does something wrong, the person looking after that place or object has to put up signs warning against a similar incident. My mind is constantly abuzz from unconsciously reading the multitude of signs posted all around. Some are a little ridiculous; others just make me think, ''who the *bleep* does that?''

Please do not eat in this toilet stall.

Every weekend in summer...

2005-08-20T16:22:00.000+09:00

We have played at least 8 festivals this summer. Above is us making our way back to the stage after a performance. You can see on my happi coat the name of our group-- Rakudaya Taiko. Cheers to my friend Shirl for this photo.

Taiko (Japanese drumming) is amazing. I love moving my arms and feeling the vibrations from the drums. The intensity of a song made up of only drums is indescribable. In addition the girls are absolutely wonderful, so I really couldn't have found a better hobby.

Victims of the atomic bomb still speak through those who survived...

2005-08-07T15:56:00.000+09:00

Please have a look at a few paintings and pictures from the gallery and read my clumsy translations of their captions. From a young age (probably after I read John Hersey's Hiroshima) I have always very fascinated and very passionate about this bit of history. I have no known relatives who died in the bomb nor was I personally affected in any way, yet I felt the need to pick this subject for numerous research projects in middle and high school. Did you know that there currently exist enough nuclear weapons to destroy planet Earth entirely over eleven times?

The gallery is currently in the Taki Cultural Hall where I work.

Script on the bottom, right to left:

A mother flees like a madwoman, not even realizing her baby has no head. (right painting)

"Where should I burn my baby's body?" (left painting)

A badly maimed and delirious soldier suddenly leaps to his feet, draws his saber and runs forward shouting, "charge!". He falls over the edge of the cliff to his death. (story only)

Many victims say that the worst part was the raging thirst they experienced.

At the water tank there are three, four people lying dead and draped over each other in search of water. There are injured stretched out under the collapsed house.

There was a thick film of greasy substance covering the surface of the water. But so desperate was our thirst that we finally drank despite the oil that covered it.

Look at the intensity on this old woman's face. She stands at a memorial for the victims of the bombing, and holds photos of her husband and son.

"My husband and son didn't come home. My daughter and I succumbed to radiation sickness and lay in misery, wondering if they were alive or dead. But there can be no funeral for people who were never found. This tomb is empty."

Students listening to a presentation given by a survivor. Text is an except from an essay written by a child who heard this presentation.

It really, really happened. I have seen pictures and movies, but it really did happen, didn't it? ... Words from him that really stayed with me-- "It was humans created nuclear weapons." "It was humans used those weapons." "But it is also humans that will put a stop to their use." [the Japanese here is unclear and I don't know whether it says "will" or "did" put a stop to their use]

I will carry the victims' plea [for the end of nuclear weapons] into the future.